Double House

Account set up to help family recover from fire A bank account has been established to help a Hagerstown family recover from a Christmas Eve fire, the Rev. Mark Guy said. Guy, pastor of the First Church of God at 619 N. Prospect St., and his congregation have been spearheading the relief plan for the Kelbaughs who lived in a double house at 609-611 N. Prospect St. The account is at the Northern Avenue branch of Allfirst Bank in the name of the Kelbaugh Family Trust Fund, Guy said.

By JENNIFER FITCH waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Harry Morningstar this summer compared rehabilitating a building to unwrapping a present, saying that what is below the added-on porches, siding and railings can either be delightful or infuriating. "When you are working with these 100-year-old buildings, you don't know what someone did 40 years ago," Morningstar said. "You never know what you're going to open up," project contractor Brad Royer of Waynesboro's Royer Construction said.

A Hagerstown family of four escaped from its burning home early Saturday uninjured, but unable to return because of the damage, Deputy Fire Chief Ron Horn said. When firefighters arrived at 31 S. Locust St. just after midnight, there was heavy fire showing from the rear of the first floor of the double house, Horn said. "There were smoke detectors sounding when I got there," Horn said. Numerous calls were received by dispatchers at Washington County Fire and Rescue Communications about the fire.

marlob@herald-mail.com Martinsburg, W.Va. - It was an event that would have made Belle Boyd proud - the dedication Saturday of the Berkeley County Archives and Research Center in a double house adjoining the celebrated Confederate spy's home on East Race Street. "We had literally run out of space for archives at the Belle Boyd House at 126 E. Race St.," said Don Wood, president of the Berkeley County Historical Society, which makes its home at the Boyd House. "And where they were stored wasn't very accessible to the public.

Christmas Eve fires displace families Several families in and around Hagerstown were displaced from their homes by two Christmas Eve fires. At 12:38 a.m. Sunday, firefighters from five area companies responded to 20532 Trovinger Mill Road for a fire that caused $80,000 damage to the single-family home occupied by William Eugene Gutteridge Jr. In an effort to put out the fire, Gutteridge sustained second- and third-degree burns on his feet and hands, said Allen Gosnell, spokesman for the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office.

By TERRY TALBERT Staff Writer A man died today in an early morning fire that gutted his home at 727 Washington Avenue in Hagerstown, city fire officials said. The man's identity was not being released this morning. Hagerstown Fire Department Chief Gary Hawbaker said the fire that appeared to have started in the kitchen. Cause of the blaze was still under investigation, he said. Hawbaker said the man was probably dead by the time firefighters arrived on the scene two minutes after it was called in at 5:33 a.m. "We couldn't have saved him," he said.

An 11-year-old girl who safely escaped her smoke-filled home Sunday afternoon with her 3-year-old sibling was praised by Hagerstown fire officials. "She was so calm," said Mike Weller, Hagerstown fire educator. "I asked her where she learned what to do and she said at school and from her parents. " An explosion sparked by vapors from a gasoline can coming in contact with a nearby gas water heater caused the fire that damaged a double house at 25-27 West Side Ave. Sunday afternoon.

KIMBERLY YAKOWSKI / Staff Writer photo: JOE CROCETTA / staff photographer A lighted candle caused a fire that injured a child and severely damaged half of a two-story Elm Street double home Tuesday afternoon, fire officials said. Hagerstown Fire Marshal Thomas Brown said the 126 Elm St., home is owned by Wendy Eyler. Brown said Eyler's two school-age daughters were home alone at the time of the fire. He said the older of the two was lighting candles in the living room when a dried flower arrangement caught on fire.

Editor's note: This is the second story in an occasional series following the facade improvement efforts at 8/10 and 12 N. Potomac St. in Waynesboro, Pa. Work began in early August. The buildings are being restored with grant money obtained through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. WAYNESBORO, Pa. - When he set out to repair the facades of two downtown Waynesboro buildings this summer, Harry Morningstar compared the early stages of the work - removing railings, awnings and spouting - to opening a present.

HANCOCK -- Sitting in the living room of the newly renovated Good Samaritan House, one gets the feeling of being in a real home with comfy furniture, soft rugs on hardwood floors and pictures and inspirational messages on the walls. That's just what Debbie Cohill was hoping for when the idea of a transitional housing site for people with emergency housing needs was first planned by the Interfaith Service Coalition more than a year ago. The double house at 6-8 W. High St. in Hancock, near the intersection with Baptist Road, looked quite a bit different in August 2007.

HANCOCK -- Sitting in the living room of the newly renovated Good Samaritan House, one gets the feeling of being in a real home with comfy furniture, soft rugs on hardwood floors and pictures and inspirational messages on the walls. That's just what Debbie Cohill was hoping for when the idea of a transitional housing site for people with emergency housing needs was first planned by the Interfaith Service Coalition more than a year ago. The double house at 6-8 W. High St. in Hancock, near the intersection with Baptist Road, looked quite a bit different in August 2007.

HANCOCK - Standing in front of what will be known as Good Samaritan House, Mark Stahr managed a smile even though he knows the road to the Interfaith Service Coalition's dream will be a long one. That dream is turning the property into a transitional housing site for people with emergency housing needs, said Stahr, assistant to ISC Director Debbie Cohill. The ISC board of directors has purchased the Helen McCarty property, a double house at 6-8 W. High St., at the intersection with Baptist Road.

By JENNIFER FITCH waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Harry Morningstar this summer compared rehabilitating a building to unwrapping a present, saying that what is below the added-on porches, siding and railings can either be delightful or infuriating. "When you are working with these 100-year-old buildings, you don't know what someone did 40 years ago," Morningstar said. "You never know what you're going to open up," project contractor Brad Royer of Waynesboro's Royer Construction said.

Editor's note: Each Sunday, The Herald-Mail publishes "A Life Remembered. " This continuing series takes a look back - through the eyes of family, friends, co-workers and others - at a member of the community who died recently. Today's "A Life Remembered" is about Claude Ellsworth Poole, who died Oct. 18 at the age of 94. His obituary appeared in the Oct. 21 edition of The Herald-Mail. Growing up in a double house on South Potomac Street next door to his uncle and aunt, Kevin Poole still has vivid memories of his 6th birthday.

Editor's note: This is the second story in an occasional series following the facade improvement efforts at 8/10 and 12 N. Potomac St. in Waynesboro, Pa. Work began in early August. The buildings are being restored with grant money obtained through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. WAYNESBORO, Pa. - When he set out to repair the facades of two downtown Waynesboro buildings this summer, Harry Morningstar compared the early stages of the work - removing railings, awnings and spouting - to opening a present.

A Hagerstown family of four escaped from its burning home early Saturday uninjured, but unable to return because of the damage, Deputy Fire Chief Ron Horn said. When firefighters arrived at 31 S. Locust St. just after midnight, there was heavy fire showing from the rear of the first floor of the double house, Horn said. "There were smoke detectors sounding when I got there," Horn said. Numerous calls were received by dispatchers at Washington County Fire and Rescue Communications about the fire.

marlob@herald-mail.com Martinsburg, W.Va. - It was an event that would have made Belle Boyd proud - the dedication Saturday of the Berkeley County Archives and Research Center in a double house adjoining the celebrated Confederate spy's home on East Race Street. "We had literally run out of space for archives at the Belle Boyd House at 126 E. Race St.," said Don Wood, president of the Berkeley County Historical Society, which makes its home at the Boyd House. "And where they were stored wasn't very accessible to the public.

Account set up to help family recover from fire A bank account has been established to help a Hagerstown family recover from a Christmas Eve fire, the Rev. Mark Guy said. Guy, pastor of the First Church of God at 619 N. Prospect St., and his congregation have been spearheading the relief plan for the Kelbaughs who lived in a double house at 609-611 N. Prospect St. The account is at the Northern Avenue branch of Allfirst Bank in the name of the Kelbaugh Family Trust Fund, Guy said.

Christmas Eve fires displace families Several families in and around Hagerstown were displaced from their homes by two Christmas Eve fires. At 12:38 a.m. Sunday, firefighters from five area companies responded to 20532 Trovinger Mill Road for a fire that caused $80,000 damage to the single-family home occupied by William Eugene Gutteridge Jr. In an effort to put out the fire, Gutteridge sustained second- and third-degree burns on his feet and hands, said Allen Gosnell, spokesman for the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office.

An 11-year-old girl who safely escaped her smoke-filled home Sunday afternoon with her 3-year-old sibling was praised by Hagerstown fire officials. "She was so calm," said Mike Weller, Hagerstown fire educator. "I asked her where she learned what to do and she said at school and from her parents. " An explosion sparked by vapors from a gasoline can coming in contact with a nearby gas water heater caused the fire that damaged a double house at 25-27 West Side Ave. Sunday afternoon.